A falling girl, robots, an army,pirates, an adventurous boy and princess, a rare, powerful gem, a floating island nation. Think about those phrases for a second. Think they sound like components of something horribly clichéd? Wrong. These are all parts of a wonderful movie, Castle in the Sky, a movie that enchants its viewers and proves that you cannot always judge a book by its cover.

The seiyuu performances in this film were excellent. The seiyuu not only did a superb job, complementing the characters’ personalities with fitting voices. The voice acting did more than just give the animated characters a voice, it gave them a living quality.

In addition, the characters were absolutely charming. Truth be told, Pazu can make me smile easily because of his never-give-up disposition even when he faces opposition. However, he is only an example of the depth and expression of the characters. All of the characters are dynamic and give the story substance, from Sheeta to the villains.

To try to express in words the musical beauty of this film would not do it justice. Composer Hisaishi Jo creates a fantastic musical score for this film. The music never failed to impress me throughout the film with its beauty and fluidity. And above all, it brought the story to life.

The visuals are amazing. From beginning to end, there is no lack in artistry. The background, the characters, the sequences, everything was executed and animated brilliantly. For the first film to be produced by the newly formed Studio Ghibli, it demonstrated the amount of potential of the studio had and set a precedent of excellence for films to come. Miyazaki Hayao is the genius behind Castle in the Sky as well as one of my favorite directors. He wrote the screenplay and even directed it.

The visuals, the voice acting, the music, the animation, everything is perfect. Therefore, if you’re looking for a classic anime by one of the most renowned directors in the industry, look no further than Castle in the Sky.